Saturday, August 22, 2009

Space Meteorology History

Meterology is the focus of many scientists all over the world, meteorology forecasts were not available on mass to the general public until H.C. Russell, New South Wales Government Astronomer and Meteorologist from 1870 to 1905, produced Australia's first newspaper weather map in 1877.Space meteorology on the other hand had its origins in the early 1950s. It was not until the 1st of April 1960, that the TIROS-I (Television Infrared Operational Satellite) the world's first meteorological satellite was launched. The first direct picture transmission took place on 21st December 1963 by TIROS-VIII. The World Weather Watch (WWW) and Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP) were established worldwide.The WWW developed as an international collaborative system for global weather observation by satellite and by conventional means.The Global Research Program initiated a series of innovative developments in meteorological satellite technology during the 1960s and 1970s.The First GARP Global Experiment (FGGE) of 1979 provided the first global view of the earth's atmosphere, essential to the provision of medium-range forecasts, and essential to the understanding of the meteorological processes, which govern the evolution of climate.The spin-scan camera on board the Applications Technology Satellite ATS-1 provided near-continuous photo coverage of the earth and its cloud cover. This was the first weather satellite in a geostationary orbit, launched 6 December 1966.Three years later the first detailed quantitative measurements by satellite of the temperature and moisture of the atmosphere at various levels were obtained.